Author: Virginia Davidson

If your organization participates in GivingTuesday, you likely spend a solid amount of time preparing your email communications encouraging people to donate on that day. But how much time do you spend crafting the confirmation emails sent to GivingTuesday donors? Especially for first-time donors, your confirmation email plays a key role in their early impressions […]

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A cycle of panic and neglect usually refers to public health crises or natural disasters. But those same patterns can pop up in other aspects of our lives. And when it comes to fundraising data, the cycle of panic and neglect is easy to fall into—especially when you’re constantly shifting from one priority to the […]

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According to the National Philanthropic Trust, planned giving through bequests amounted to $45.84 billion in 2024. It’s important for fundraisers to have a basic understanding of what a bequest is, since it’s the simplest way for donors to make a planned gift to your organization. The simplicity of bequests also makes them the most common […]

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Your organization’s year-end appeal is an important opportunity to raise funds for your mission. To help you do that, we’ve gathered four ideas to help you implement an effective year-end fundraising appeal: Idea #1: Incorporate local businesses into your appeal By expanding your appeal beyond individual donors, you can build a broader network of support. […]

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If you need to write an appeal letter for your nonprofit organization, you probably wouldn’t consider Stephen King to be a resource. But his book titled On Writing includes some gems that are applicable to fundraisers, too. Here are 5 tips from Stephen King, the King of Horror, that you can use to draft and […]

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As a fundraiser, your work helps move your organization’s mission forward. If you’re preparing to leave your fundraising job, what steps can you take to help your successor build on your work? Heather Eddy, President and CEO of Kistner Eddy Executive Services (KEES), recommends putting together some key documentation before your departure. By doing so, you’ll help continue […]

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It’s important to make it easy for donors to make a gift to your organization, but what does that actually mean when it comes to your online donation forms? One approach is to follow the advice that James Clear shares in Atomic Habits, intended to reduce friction and make desired actions simpler. His four tips […]

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Engaging your organization’s board members in your year-end appeal can boost the effectiveness of your appeal. But in order to involve your board members productively, it’s important to choose an approach that best suits your organization. To gather some practical and effective ways to involve board members, I spoke with fundraising expert Erik Hanberg, author […]

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The halfway point through the calendar year offers a valuable opportunity for fundraisers. Whether you’re on track to meet your fundraising goals or you’re falling a bit short at midyear, there’s still ample time to prepare for a strong second half of the year. In fact, what you do at midyear can play a big […]

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